


When Saints Cry

by Kenzie_Kennity



Series: Max Dennis and the Island of Misfit Saints [3]
Category: Saints Row
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-29 10:22:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6371092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kenzie_Kennity/pseuds/Kenzie_Kennity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is what it sounds like, when Saints cry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When Saints Cry

**Author's Note:**

> Another one because I'm feeling down and decided to channel that into Max. Please review to help me improve. 
> 
> About Pierce: He's a full member of this gang. I know, it's pretty easy to talk shit about him because he's softer than all the rest but he's still a member. Which means there's more to him than singing with the boss and finding new toys and complaining. Easy to forget because that's about all you get in the games but with the theme of the Saints themselves, you can't be no real bitch and survive. 
> 
> Also, warning you right here, I do plan to build a ship that will not be the FOCUS but will be relevant. That ship will be f/f so if that's not your thing, this might be the last one you want to read. After this, I start working on establishing it realistically.

It sounds about like one would expect. Like a guttural battle cry, deep from inside. It didn’t come from the gut or even the bones. No, the boss dug down into her very soul when she let out that inhuman sound. The explosions around it barely covered it.

Not that it mattered anyway. It wasn’t like she was in the city.

No, she was outside of it, throwing grenades at absolutely nothing. Killing grass and pushing up dirt. But she was alone and that’s what she needed. Because everything had calmed down, really calmed down. She wasn’t running to defend a neighborhood, she wasn’t breaking up fights or shooting strays from rival gangs. There was nothing left to keep her attention, nothing at all. Her lieutenants handled everything small, they barely even needed to talk to her about things.

It gave her time to think and to feel.

Not like she had when she got to Steelport. No, when she got there she was angry because some fuckhole thought he was big shit. And he had, in the most literal sense of the word, tried her gangster. He tested her and she passed with flying colors. Through the rest of those fuckers, she felt a range of emotions, sure, but she never had time to evaluate them. She never had time to think and realize.

It never hit her that Johnny was gone. That he was dead and they’d mostly avenged his death. Because he was never coming back. He’d never get a chance to see their latest rise. He was gone.

Sure, it’d been in her head. She _knew_ logically that he was gone. But in her heart? Oh, it wasn’t there yet. It hadn’t really hit her. Not until they gave her a chance to be a person. Not until she had time for herself.

The moment she texted it to her mother, letting her what was going through her mind, her throat closed up and her eyes squeezed shut.

 

_[Text]: Yeah. After Johnny died, she got aggressive._

_[Text]: After Johnny died?_

_[Text]: Yeah, when we first got here. We even had his funeral._

As she tried to catch her breath, she reread the messages and her heart began to beat faster until finally it felt like someone was squeezing. She immediately knew she had to get away for a while and texted her friends to let them know. 

But that had been hours ago.

Now she’s standing, staring at fences with tears falling from her eyes. She’d tried to stop them but the little fuckers had been persistent, unwilling to be denied. Kind of like the pain in her chest. She’d known it would hurt. Hell, Johnny was like a brother to her. A crazy older brother but a brother all the same. He’d been there since the beginning, since day fucking one.

He’d been her guy and she loved that man like no one understood. It wasn’t romantic, it was never like that. The thought made her shudder but it was strong and powerful and she wondered if there was a platonic soul mate. Because that would be really fucking cool.

If he’d given her the chance, just a couple minutes maybe, she would have died for him. She would have done anything to make sure his psycho ass walked away and made some kind of dumb joke that no one laughed at. But no, he had to go and be…well himself.

“Bastard.” She growled to herself, throwing grenades at the fence quickly. The way they exploded, the smell of burning wood around her, it soothed her. It reminded her of when she’d been back in Stilwater, fucking up shit.

The early days.

But those days were gone, just like Johnny.

“Fuckin’ bastard.” She threw a few more, feeling her anger rise quickly. This was familiar. This she could handle. “That piece of fucking shit! Why couldn’t he let us help him!?” there that sound was again. That…that war cry that came from somewhere deep. Like she was rallying her troops for one final assault, one that would take over everything and make everything right.

If only.

“Boss! God damn! Boss, chill on the explosives! You’re gonna hit the car!” she heard Pierce’s voice and immediately pulled her gun. She took off the safety and cocked it, aiming her pistol directly at him without even looking in his direction. Other than the sound of music lowly thumping from the car and the crackling sound from burning wood, there was silence.

“Didn’t I say leave me the fuck alone for the day?” she asked, her voice low and dangerous.

“Yeah, but we got worried.” He said. Her stance adjusted and he looked into the car at Shaundi and Kinzie.

“Leave.” She growled. Pierce swallowed deeply, standing up and adjusting his clothes before walking forward boldly. He was a Saint, sure, but he liked plans. He didn’t like to just jump into danger. But this, this was worth it.

“No.” he said.

“Fuck you say?” she turned to look at him, gun still aimed at his head.

“You heard me.” He said advancing. “You gonna shot me, Boss?” he asked. He would admit to himself that he hid his fear pretty well. “Hm? Gonna blow my brains out?” he continued advancing and he saw the way her jaw clinched, saw the puffiness of her face. Finally, he reached her and leaned his forehead on the end of the gun. “Do it.”

“What?” the boss blinked at him in surprise.

“You heard me. Do it, pull the trigger.” He said. He felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest and he was going to vacate his bowels, but he trusted her. He trusted her with his life, like family should. “Do it Mothafucka, pull the trigger!” he yelled.

“Pierce! That’s not what we agreed on!” Shaundi was out of the car in an instant walking to them in worry. Their boss was crazy, just on the wrong side of it at that. This could go left really quickly.

“Why not? I come out here, away from all my shit back in Steelport that she left me with, to check on her. See if _she’s_ fuckin’ okay. But what does she do? Pulls a gun on a nigga as soon as he’s out the car. So if she’s gonna shoot,” he looked right into her eyes. “Shoot.” The last word was meant just for her.

For a few tense moments, they thought they’d be burying another Saint.

Instead the gun dropped and her eyes did as well. She shook her head, ashamed and sick at the thought of what she could have done. This wasn’t her, this wasn’t what they needed. “What’s goin’ on back at HQ that bro-“ her words were cut off when Pierce pulled her into a tight hug. “What the fuck?!”

“Quiet.” He said. He squeezed her, letting her know that she couldn’t get away and it was oddly comforting. To know that he was holding on so tight that no matter how she struggled, his grip didn’t loosen. It _wouldn’t_ loosen. He wouldn’t leave. “Listen,”

“Pierce, get off me you fuck-“

“Geez, Boss. Shut the fuck up and listen to him for a minute.” Shaundi snapped. Sure, it made her uncomfortable to watch the two embracing, it looked wrong and out of place. But it was happening and she wanted it over as quickly as possible.

“We all miss him. In different ways, yeah, but it’s still there. He was our backbone, crazy as he was. It was like havin’ a stupid spine but that’s what he was. With him gone, you had to be the backbone and the leader for us.” He said. She didn’t speak but still struggled a little.

“He’s right. You had to take on double roles and honestly…that wasn’t fair.” Shaundi admitted, stepping closer to them. “But we grieved for him, you didn’t have the time. But you had us, you had our backs even when you weren’t trying to. We appreciate that.

“Of course I had your backs. What else would I do?” she was confused, honestly. She couldn’t imagine _not_ having their backs.

“Exactly. Now, let me,” Shaundi frowned and cleared her throat. “I mean us, return the favor.” She reached out an arm awkwardly and wrapped it around them. The boss was quiet, not denying them but not agreeing either.

“I told you this would work! The Saints are a family!” Pierce said excitedly. He pulled Shaundi into their hug and squeezed them both. “Hey Kinzie! You want in on this?”

“Uh, no. No thank you.” She peeked her head out of the car. The boss sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Alright Pierce, let us go. We’ll go home.” She promised. He nodded, squeezing once more and happily made his way to the car, feeling accomplished. Shaundi hung back when the boss didn’t move and watched her.

“Thanks, guys. I appreciate it.” She said softly. She wiped her eyes and Shaundi pretended not to notice. “My mom would like him, Pierce. Call him the ‘gay son she never had’.” She tried to smile but it didn’t quite work. Shaundi chuckled as they began walking but paused.

“Wait… _is_ he gay?”


End file.
